[success]There are two types of Pain in this world: Pain that hurts you, and Pain that changes you! – Unknown[/success]
It was a privilege to be holding my husband’s hand when he passed away, but there I was, all alone, scared, and heart wrenchingly sad. I thought the pain would never end.
For months I stayed in that tunnel of darkness, seeing the light ahead, but always looking over my shoulder at what was, never quite able to continue moving forward. One step forward, three steps back. My progress was slow and painful but the day finally came when I began to see clearly that I was going to be okay. I was a different person, honed and toughened by the fire of loss. A new me emerged.
And for those in great pain of whatever kind today…I hold in my heart that you too will soon clearly see that you’re going to be okay.
[success]Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance. – Ruth E. Renkel[/success]
Growing up, money was often tight. Mum often made our clothes, she was a pretty good seamstress as it turned out. Grandma knitted the most amazing sweaters and being Scottish, they often had a wonderful argyle pattern on them which made them absolutely beautiful and special. But the greatest gift we kids received was being taught how life worked.
As within, so without. As you sow, you reap. Expect blessings, bless others and you’ll receive blessings. Think on these things and allow bliss to flow.
Remember, we all feed on ideas. If you feed your mind a particular idea for a week you change its structure. If you continue this for two weeks you’ll be well fed on lovely thoughts. You are the author of your world and so nothing is impossible!
[success]Even the greatest was once a beginner. Don’t be afraid to take that first step. – Unknown[/success]
Everyone we meet has concerns, and beginning something new is right up there. But this is the time our awareness comes to our rescue. Concerns are fine, even fears are okay, providing we don’t allow them to take root and become deeply embedded in our consciousness. Understanding our fears makes life so much easier.
When you know what concerns you, consider that a great win. This is key. Don’t keep your attention on those thoughts. Set up images of the exact opposite of what you fear. If you’re concerned about poverty, affirm and imagine prosperity. Not feeling so good, affirm and imagine vibrant health. Fear of failure? Affirm how wonderful it is to be successful and imagine your success helping many.
[success]Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her. ~ Lao Tzu[/success]
I remember a time when I needed a constant fix of approval. Starting way back when, like many kids I constantly replayed that childhood need of wanting parental approval.
And that’s fine for kids but doesn’t work quite so well as adults. I was confusing love and approval with my self worth and I’d decided somewhere along the way that I had to ‘earn’ my value. How bizarre is that?
You can imagine the kinds of situations that created for me…not one of them worth two hoots.
I would hold back and play small, after all I might not be ‘good enough’ and I set up this false sense of security which prevented the possibility of being disapproved of. Funnily enough, it didn’t really work. How could it…look at the underlying belief that I was trying so hard to not experience. I had to be good enough. And once I woke up to the fact that I’m part of the divine fabric of the universe, how could I continue to believe I wasn’t good enough. That’s just silly.
I began the work of becoming myself.
You too can affirm…I approve of myself…and you’ll soon find it’ll be enough.
[success]What would it be like if you lived each day, each breath, as a work of art in progress? Imagine that you are a masterpiece unfolding, every second of every day, a work of art taking form with every breath. ~ Thomas Crum[/success]
This is what I aspire to.
Some days bliss brushes my cheek and rests in my heart. It comes out of the seeming blue and fades away as suddenly as it appeared.
And some days I’m blissed out and inspired by nine year olds…
If I was a work of art
I would be a picture of the wind
blowing fast.
The wind, sort of light blue,
really hard and strong.
I would be blowing away
from hatred,
blowing toward love.
When people see the picture
they would know
I was going the right direction
instead of the wrong one.
Anthony Manago
3rd Grade
Anthony is currently a freshman on an athletic scholarship where he’s studying to be an athletic trainer, and no surprise that he’s excelled as a track and field athlete.
He saw himself as a picture of the wind and now he’s running like the wind.
There is no fiction. All the stories we tell in secret or out loud come to pass.
Anthony is a great reminder of that.
If you could just believe that imagining creates reality, and that there is no fiction, you’ll make the opportunity to rewrite your life and give yourself and those within it unbounded blessings and gladness and praise for the faint-hearted. Because what is real and what is imaginary when, spiritually speaking, all existing things are imaginary?
If you have quotes that have fed you and maybe brought more bliss into your life, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
Hearing the experiences of others that have moved through their dark spots, or been uplifted can make a huge difference to someone who’s right in the middle of it.
If you enjoyed this post please share with others. Someone out there just might be in need of a boost and you could be the one to give it.
As always, thanks for stopping by and sharing your brilliance.
Love Elle
27 Comments
Thank you Elle for these true and inspiring quotes. Helps keep my perspectives on track.
Thanks Pat for stopping by and giving encouragement. Always appreciated. 🙂
Hi Elle,
Interesting quotes there.
I want to share something on this one”There are two types of Pain in this world: Pain that hurts you, and Pain that changes you! ”
Well it’s like this “there are no unpleasant experiences in life.Only learning ones”
That’s what I like to believe.
Because the moment we say we are hurt, we shift the responsibility for being hurt on someone else’s shoulders.Yet the truth is that we are 100% responsible for our ups and downs ourselves.At least what we feel about anything in this world.That includes the apparent hurt emanating from some one else’s behavior.
Thanks.
Mona
Hi Mona, I absolutely agree with you Mona…we are the makers and builders of our life and every experience. And our perception of those experiences allow us to make changes, if we choose. 🙂
Thank you for sharing Elle. The Lao Tzu quote resonates most with me. ISn’t it interesting we spend our whole lives becoming someone other than who we are? Based on what others think of us or our own self-perceptions about who we should be. I think the most important thing all of us can do is strip away all of the superficial characteristics and qualities about ourselves and be the most authentic person we can be. Who we truly are is more powerful than any airs or masks we might have opted to put on in our lives:)
Isn’t that the truth Vishnu, we’re always uncovering the truth about ourselves, that amazing magnificent creative being…who’s available to us 24/7. You’re always so eloquent in your comments…love that. 🙂
Hard to imagine Elle craving approval or not feeling good enough. You have come a long way to the self assured, powerful woman I know and call a dear friend. Good job, you!
Thanks Dore…the journey is certainly an interesting one my friend. 🙂
Elle,
Thanks so much for your inspirational quotes. I loved what you wrote under each one. Such great reminders. I never knew that your husband had died. I can’t imagine. I loved reading Anthony’s story, too.
Thank you! I’m always uplifted after reading your posts.
xoxo
Betsy
Nice to have you back Betsy…I’m so happy you’re uplifted…methinks you’re already pretty up there anyway! 🙂
Hi Elle….all of your quotes are great reminders to live from our true Selves as much as possible. I’m always grateful for your reminders. But if I was to pick the one quote that means the most to me of all…I think I’d have to pick the one my husband came up with a couple of years ago when we were leading a New Thought spiritual group. He said, “Every day we can choose to be happy, healthy and live life to Its fullest…remember, we get to make it up.” At the time I thought it was probably a bit too simplistic for most people to grasp the deeper implications–but as time has gone by that quote has stuck by me, and inspired me, and reminded me over and over and over of some of the highest truths in my life. No, we can’t always control the Universe and events in our lives. But we ALWAYS determine how we handle those events and the tone and timbre of our existence while here on this plane of existence. ~Kathy
It’s funny Kathy I have a friend who always says, we’re making it all up anyway, might as well make up something great! We are soooo much mow powerful than we give ourselves credit for…and now if only we can stick with what it was we want to experience, or to be, or to have…we’d be rewriting our destiny in every moment to be one which would bring us the greatest joy. I say let’s stick with it. 🙂
Elle,
I love the quotes, thank you and your paragraph on ” not being enough resonated with me” could have been me writing it and Anthony’s poem is pure magic.
My heart going out to you , I did not know you husband had passed, i do know what it is like to sit with someone though as they were dying. My father.
Thank you for sharing your inspiration and you
with Love
Suzie xxoo
Funny Suzie, I think for most of us, if we’re honest, have all been there in that place of not quite being enough. And as for me, I can still find myself back there every now and then. Woops!
And thank you for your sweetness. It’s been quite a few years since my late husband passed away, and as you know, from the loss of your dad, those feelings we have are pretty powerful. Today, I’m blessed to be loved and to love again…my Darling One is truly one of the reasons I’m the happiest woman in the world. 🙂
That is wonderful Elle- I too have a wonderful loving relationship Des is my rock. Lets make 2013 the years we are enough 🙂
Hi Elle, Motivational as always 🙂 At the moment I am sticking with “everything happens for a reason” and have just been spending time in that space where I am observing and interested in just what that might be while I carry on.
So funny Julie, flying home yesterday, someone said exactly the same thing to me ‘everything happens for a reason’. And I replied, yes, the reason is YOU, or in my case me. Hmmmm…maybe I need to be paying more attention to the ‘me’ reasons for what’s currently going on. 🙂
Love the first quote.
Love how you explained the transformation of “the new you.”
I understand.
Beautiful.
Welcome to the conversation and thank you for your kind thoughts. Always great to meet a fellow traveller who ‘gets’ it. 🙂
Elle,
This was such a touching post! I was moved by your personal stories from childhood. And the poem from Anthony was a super extra plus. I feel such encouragement from you to know everything will be OK!
Thanks for stopping by Sandra, it’s lovely to have you back from your ‘flow break’. And I feel happy to have put the encouragement out there…it’s something we really don’t and can’t get enough of. 🙂
The first step is always the hardest to take, yet should remain the most cherished memory of a successful man.
Hi Farouk and thanks for sharing your perspective. As always it’s good to see consciousness operating. 🙂
Thank you for sharing these words of wisdom. I especially like the quote by Lao Tzu. I will have to add it to my list of all-time favorite quotes.
Hi Sarah..so glad you enjoyed the quotes…I know what you mean about the Lao Tzu quote…it really says it all. Oh that I was as eloquent. 🙂
All that you will ever have is right now. The rest is either anticipation or memory.
Welcome Gino and thanks for sharing your brillinance. 🙂